Fade Away: Before the Legend
by GoldenGriffiness
Summary: Cynder's egg lies safe with the love of her surrogate parents. Spyro isn't so lucky. Damned by Ignitus' moment of weakness, he is left in the shackles of an army set on seeing him only as a tool of cold-blooded murder. Awaiting an unknown fate in the arms of the only mother he will ever know, they are left to seek comfort only from each other... And the most unlikely source of all.
1. The Cold And The Dark

**_Fade Away_**

7 Years, 13 Days Remaining...

_I don't like this place. It's dark and it's cold and the familiar voices are gone. It's not the same. The voices are all different. Meaner and scratchier. I don't like it. Why do I feel all alone? How do I even feel lonely when I can't understand what they're saying and they can't hear me either?_


	2. Trapped

7 years, 11 Days Remaining

_I'm getting used to the cold now, even though it wasn't ever this cold before. I feel cramped and I want out, but to where I don't know._


	3. Hideaway

7 Years, 11 Days Remaining

_The noises scare me. They're like the noise I make when I scrape my claws on the shell, but so, so much worse. The voices hurt my head and I don't know what I can do about it. They scare me._

_I don't think I want to go out there anymore._


	4. Jumbled Nightmares

7 Years, 10 Days Remaining

_It's getting too tight. I need out, but I'm waiting as long as I can. When I move too much, the voices all start talking at once and it hurts my head more and I just want to go back. This feels like a nightmare. _


	5. Sweetest Relief

7 Years, 9 Days Remaining

_It got a little better later, at least when the rocking stopped and my tummy started feeling better._

_There was a different voice. It was soft and it was light, and it felt like feathers brushing me all over. But it sounds so, so sad. Maybe I should try and get out. Maybe I can help it sound even lighter. I've been trying and trying to move, and she doesn't yell at me because of it. I really like this one. Maybe the outside isn't so scary, after all._

_She doesn't sound happy when I move either, though, just really sad._

_I hope it isn't because she doesn't like me. I really wanna meet her better._


	6. To Weep

7 years, 8 Days Remaining

I really like her. She's sorta soft and black, and I hope she likes me too. I think she does, because she picked me up and held me as soon as I got out, and wiped the gush all away as I tried to figure out what I was seeing. All I'd ever seen was black and black and black. I like black. She's black and her eyes are another color. The sky out of the window is close to it, I think. Why does her window have bars and why is she so, so dirty? I don't like the smell on her, but I like her anyway. She should clean her up like she cleaned me up. I bet she'd be even fluffier then!

She looks happy holding me, but why are her eyes leaking?


	7. Captivity Stinks

(Terra is based off RiverStyx's character of the same name and used with permission. LONG LIVE DA BETA!)

7 years, 7 Days Remaining

I don't like the monkeys outside my cell, even though they hand Terra—they call her Terra—all sorts of little tidbits to feed me. I don't know if I like eating; it's like my mouth goes boom.. I like the big things on her head. They twitch and it's funny, and they're pink inside like her nose. I think it's a nose, anyway. It has holes like my nose does, even if it's a light color and she's all black. I don't know what the long things from her shoulders or the twitchy head things are, still. Maybe I'll find out later.

I was worried earlier when I thought I nicked the skin on her shoulder when she was patting my back for some reason. But it wasn't skin at all. The brown stuff is actually wrapped all around her! I got distracted when I blew air all of a sudden, but then I saw she had more black fur under it, too. I still don't like the smell and I don't think she does, either. Maybe she can't help it? Are the fur blobs like her just stinky? I feel bad if they are. After all, I still smell like the stuff in my egg. It didn't bother me then, but it does now.


	8. Chase Those Tears Away

6 Years, 189 Days Remaining

I'm purple! Terra's been trying to teach me all the colors in our little barren room. Not that there's many to learn. The ground is brown; the sky can be blue or red or black; the bright star in it is yellow; her wrap-cloth is brown; my belly's gold, even though it's so dirty you can barely even tell. Her eyes and markings are blue, too. I like blue. But not as much as black. Black just feels so calm and dark and sleepy. Sometimes I wish I could just curl up in the black of the corners and disappear into it when all the yelling happens or the apes start making fun of her. I really don't like it. And I still don't have a name. Terra's toyed with some, but they all sound flimsy or silly and I want the best name!

She still cries sometimes. Her tears make me sad too. I wish I could chase them away like I chase the rats away for her sometimes. Maybe if I learn to talk like they do, I can learn how to chase all those tears away too.


	9. Dragonheart

6 Years, 41 Days Remaining

I have a name now! A visitor gave it to me! I'm Spyro and I like it. Even though she was an ape, I still like her. She asked me to call her 'Granny'. She gave us a nice big purple and yellow blanket to sleep on, and I tried to ask her if she had something green. I've never seen any green. There was blues and blacks and whites and yellows and greys and golds and pinks and all the rest, but Terra said there's another color. I wanna see them all!

I got my name because I sneezed little red sparks on the nice ape's tail. I promise I didn't mean to! A new friend is too amazing to hurt on purpose. She says my name is a mix of fire and breath, but I just care that it sounds good!

My first word was sorry, because I felt so bad that I scorched her tail. It really surprised Terra and she started crying again. Did I do something wrong? She says it so much! I remember she made a lullaby once, all from sorrys.

She was crying then, too. I still don't know why.

The ape also told me I had a real dragon's heart. What does that mean? What's a dragon? Is having a dragon's heart a good thing?

I hope it is.

I think I like my "Dragonheart."


	10. The Advanced Art Of Squiggles

5 Years, 135 Days Remaining.

I think I can talk rather well now. I asked Terra and she said I do. I've been learning and learning the best I can. Terra's been scratching little squiggles amongst the warrens of dust bunnies that we chase to the corner of the room. Flapping my wings real hard gets them running really fast and I don't even have to touch them! She calls it writing, and says it's important. I don't understand why. If I want squiggles, I can just make them willy-nilly,right? But she says it isn't the same.

I don't get it.


	11. First Blood

5 Years, 78 Days Remaining

Ow.

I don't know what it is I could have done wrong! They were yelling at her again, and I just kicked dust bunnies at the apes and told them they were what they were calling her. Apparently there are some things you are never ever supposed to says never to use those words again no matter what. But they upset her, and they kept pointing at me and laughing, and I'm very sick of them treating her like trash.

The ape struck me right on the nose, hard enough that red started leaking out. Terra called it blood. I've seen little drops on the apes or Terra before, but never from me. It bothers me. A lot.


	12. Dark Reception

5 Years, 52 Days Remaining

Today frightened me and made Terra cry even more than usual. Two of the apes came in and grabbed me. I tried to spit sparks at them, but they bound rope around my muzzle. I'm bigger now, almost up to Terra's knees. Terra yelled at them to stop and tried to slash them with the claws on her paws, but they kicked her back and dragged me with them. They wrapped more rope around my neck as a leash, and it still hurts from it rubbing so hard. They brought me to a big room so that 'The Master' could 'check on me.'

There was a big glassy thing in the middle of the room. I think one of the apes called it a 'Dark Gem'. Giant yellow eyes were glowing from in it or behind it. They scared me, but not as much as the face wrapped around them. He was like me, but different and much, much bigger. He was even a little purple.

I thought being happy was a good thing. But I don't want him happy. He laughed at me and said I wasn't any use to anyone yet. He said I was like a broken toy. What's a toy? Why does he hate me? What did I do wrong that they all hate me?

After they took me back, I hid under the bed for hours, even though it was extremely cramped and I kept sneezing because the dust bunnies were everywhere. Terra got me out eventually, but I was still shaking for hours.

I hope I never ever have to meet that meanie again.


	13. What Is A Mother?

4 Years, 336 Days Remaining

I found out what a 'mom' is today. Granny visited again and told Terra she would make a wonderful one. I asked what it meant, and they said it's the female who takes care of their baby. That almost everyone has one. I still don't understand. Isn't Terra a mom, then? Isn't she ALREADY a mom? Already MY Mom?

I want her to be.


	14. Are You My Mother?

4 Years, 331 Days Remaining

I finally asked Terra if she was my mom or not.

She said she isn't and doesn't deserve to be, and she'd be able to help me if she did.

I don't understand. She helps me all the time. And I understand when she can't. She tries the best she can, anyway.

What can't she help me from? Except for the small space and the cold and the apes, I like it here. Or at least, I like her here.

I guess there isn't that much else to like. Except my blanket. I still like that. And the dust bunny warren is as close to what Terra calls 'toys' as I've ever gotten—besides her tail. I like her tail, but I have to be extra gentle with it. Terra doesn't mind me playing with it sometimes; she says little felines play with tails all the time.

Am I not as good as a baby cat? Is it me that doesn't deserve her? Is that why she says she isn't my mom?


	15. Hunger

5 Years, 32 Days Remaining

The biggest ape I've ever seen was outside the cell today to tell Terra not to feed me until tomorrow, or something will be "even more unpleasant for the little whelp." Apes call me that all the time. I'm afraid of what is to come, and Terra's scared too. She asked the ape if this was it, but he said not yet. Does she know why they want me here? When I asked her, she wouldn't say what was wrong or why she was crying worse than ever.

That ape's name is Gaul. He scares me. Instead of one eye, he has a green crystal. It scares me the most and makes me think of pained cries I can't even really remember anymore.

I'm hungry already.


	16. A Pretty Lonely World

5 Years, 30 Days Remaining

Nothing's ever hurt this much.

Two apes held me down and then they poked me hard in the back of my neck with something really sharp. They forced me to absorb red gems while they did it, and now my skin's healed all around it. But it's still there, poking out by about an inch. A black crystal like the one I saw the Master from. It still really hurts and I've never seen so much blood in all my life. Moving my neck hurts. When they put me back, I went under the bed, even though when I had my head and wings flat and belly to the floor, my horns and backblades left scratches in the wooden frame.

I wouldn't even come out for food. I wouldn't even come out for Terra, even though she was still crying and saying sorry over and over again. I hope she understands I don't blame her. I'm not mad at her at all; I'm just really, really scared. I wish we could leave. There's gotta be something better out there, right?

I don't think everything everywhere can be this messed up. Maybe there are more nice people like Terra and Granny somewhere.

I hope there are. If there aren't, then it's a pretty lonely world.

Not that it isn't already.


	17. Supposedly Bewitched

3 Years, 305 Days Remaining

I can't fit under the bed anymore. I'm a little taller than Terra's knees now, and there is nowhere to hide. I can't really fit on the foot of the wooden bed either,

so I've been sleeping on the stone floor the best I can. It leaves me stiff and sore in the morning, but I refuse to make Terra sleep on the floor. At least my scales are tough. Her fur wouldn't help at all.

The cell feels smaller and smaller every day. Terra's ears aren't that far from brushing the uneven ceiling, and if we both lay on the floor with our bodies stretched out as far as we could and our noses touching, there wouldn't be enough room.

At least the apes don't bother us as much. I sent some sparks at one who hit Terra hard enough to bruise, and they've been standing at the other end of the hallway ever since. I don't think they like dragons very much, which is pretty silly because their Master is one too.

Oh, and I found out that I'm a dragon and Granny thinks that having a dragonheart is a good thing. I don't think the other apes would think it's a good thing, though. She still visits, and the other apes say she's put a spell on me and that's why I like her. Which is silly.

They never gave me any reason to like them.


	18. Sick Amusement

3 Years, 146 Days Remaining

Even though the room is still getting progressively more cramped, I feel like some things are improving. I finally understand a little writing, and if I'm the one to ask the apes for something little, they'll get it for me. They're definitely scared of me, which I do not feel guilty for as I've spent my life petrified of them.

The huge ape, his name is Gaul, showed up again. He seemed happy when I spat sparks at him. Or at least amused. I got a spot of flame on his arm, but he just pinched it out with two fingers. The more I show off my weird breath, the happier he gets.


	19. First Symptoms

3 Years, 78 Days Remainin

I got another breath today. Terra called it ice. I also figured out how to use my fire and ice to get rid of the dust bunnies in the corner by throwing sparks and cooling the smoulders before anything else could catch alight. I feel a little bad for getting rid of them, but I haven't sneezed as much since we did, so that's a good thing. Terra showed me where she's been marking my size on the wall with her claws. I think I've tripled in height since she first got me, maybe even more.

As I get older, I get more and more afraid. The big ape and the dark Master looked at me like I wasn't alive at all, and I know they want something from me. But what could I even do? I'm tiny and I'm small, and I need Terra.

They also called Terra and I 'prisoners'. I don't know what that means, either. When I asked her, it only upset her more. I feel like she's turned into glass, easy to break if you only brush her wrong. I don't think this is how anyone is supposed to live. Her eyes are murky and her fur's lost its luster. When she takes her tunic off, you can count every rib.

I hope she's okay. I don't want to be here without her. I don't want to be anywhere without her.


	20. Sick Strategy

3 Years, 43 Days Remaining

Terra's been coughing. She says she's just a little sick, but then she wakes me up with her hacking in the middle of the night. I'm terrified of what will happen if she gets worse. She says she's just glad it's a 'mammalian' sickness and I can't catch it. Are we really that different?

The apes won't help her; they don't care. I need to figure out how to make them care. They do care about me in all the wrong ways, so maybe...


	21. So Much More To Lose

3 Years, 37 Days Remaining

It feels like there's a gaping hole in my stomach. It really hurts, but it's worth it if it works. I've refused to eat anything for a couple days now. While I can't get Terra to eat it—even though she's so bad she can't get out of bed—waiting until it's started to smell and kicking it out all over the hallway and the guard's feet seems to make quite an effective point. The apes hate the smell almost as much as I do.

Well that's just too bad for them, because I have so much more to lose. The only thing that makes my world worth it at all.


	22. Losing Strength, Holding Faith

3 Years, 33 Days Remaining

I barely have the strength to kick the food out anymore, and I'm noticeably thinner. Terra's been begging me to give it up as best she can, but she's so much worse than I am. An ape tried to stuff food down my throat, but I coughed sparks into my cheeks and hacked up the ashes.

I spend most of my time curled up next to her bed now, and since I can't move so much, the meat's been getting even more disgusting before I launch it as best I can all over the hallway. The apes don't like to clean it. I wouldn't have liked to, either. I think it will work soon, though. The important ones seem terrified of what will happen to them if I keep getting worse.


	23. Prison's Stinking Less

3 Years, 29 Days Remaining

They're getting more and more desperate because I'm still refusing to eat anything. They sent Granny in for once; she's never been in here with us before. She fed Terra honey mixed with herbs, and cleaned us both up thoroughly. She says now I shimmer like amethyst and Terra looks like velvet. I really do shine much more now, but it doesn't look as good as it could because of the thinness.

Granny also cleaned almost all of the room. She left the meat, though, and winked at me. I think she approves of what I'm trying to do for Terra. She also dropped two used socks on the floor. I've been using them to cover my paws when I kick out the food. My feet don't stink so bad anymore, and I'm glad.


	24. Considered Quite Fragile

3 Years, 23 Days Remaining

I'm eating again. It made me feel sick at first, but now I'm starting to get my energy back. I didn't stop because I gave up, but because Terra's getting better! They've also assigned Granny to take care of us both and listen to whatever she says now. They don't want me to hurt myself again.

I have my own little round bed now! And Terra has the food she needs and isn't up coughing through the night anymore! If it weren't for us both recovering from being so sick, this would be the best we've ever had it. At least since they gave me to her. The apes seem willing to accept what she says we need—both of us—now they know I won't be helpful at all without Terra.


	25. A Spark Of Hope

2 Years, 354 Days Remaining

I coughed up different sparks today. Terra called it 'electricity'. It felt a bit like a static shock, to be honest. The room is still much better, but it doesn't make us forget the bars or the chill or the guards. At least they're standing much farther away and don't mock us anymore. For some reason, throwing rotting meat on their feet made an effective point. Go figure.

My wings are getting bigger and bigger, and Granny says I should start practicing with them soon. She whispered that if there's ever a chance to escape, it'd be useful. I don't think it would be. Terra can't fly and I would never leave without her.


	26. Failed Flights

2 Years, 320 Days Remaining

Granny's arranged that she's the only person here for a hour every day, acting as a guard. While she says it's not enough to get us out of here, she's been getting me to jump from Terra's bed. They move the mattress she now has onto the floor for me to jump onto. Neither have any idea what to tell me to do, so I mostly just crash. A lot. But at least it's fun!


	27. Countdown Clock

2 Years, 267 Days Remaining

I finally got another 'element' as Terra calls them. But she tells me to never use it in front of anyone but Granny or bad things would happen. Is this what the Dark Army's been waiting for? She says this one is called earth, and has me practice on pebbles. I can move the ground now, so she says maybe if we got enough magic-boosting gems with Granny's help, maybe we could tunnel out of here.

She looks so much better now, healthy except that she lacks exercise and complains about her muscles not being as strong as they used to be. I can also stay in the air for a minute or two now before crashing. One day I got my long horns stuck in the earthy wall and Terra had to pull me out.

Gaul has been here more and more. I think he's looking to see me show any sign of my elements. I haven't shown him a thing. I just hope the charade can last.


	28. Hoping For Disappointment

2 Years, 56 Days Remaining

I can power-flap to the top of the cell now, and the tips of my horns are almost level with Terra's wais. I'm still growing and Gaul seems a little worried. Is it because he's only seen my fire breath? I just hope I can keep him disappointed.


	29. Suspision

1 Year, 289 Days Remaining

They stopped letting Granny take care of us, and they've been talking about moving us into another cell where they can watch me better. Is it just going to be a matter of time before they find out I have all my elements and something bad happens? Terra is afraid too, and Granny looks worried. I think she was being too nice to us, and now they suspect something. The tension that was always there between Granny and the other apes is growing palpable. She says they're growing braver.


	30. You've Got Mail

1 Year, 197 Days Remaining

We're in the new cell now, and I haven't seen Granny since we moved. The crystal I saw the Dark Master through is right there. Everytime I see him in it, the spike in my neck hurts more and more. I've been more lethargic lately, huddling behind Terra's bed and scuffing pebbles back and forth between my forepaws to practice earth.

There's a little hole between our cell and the one next to it, and once in a while an ape I don't recognise will shove a note from Granny through. We'll read it, careful to keep it behind something, then I'll burn it and shove the ashes under the bed. No one bothers to clean our cell anymore. I guess Granny isn't the only nice ape after all.


	31. Feral

1 Year, 76 Days Remaining

Something doesn't feel right. I almost bit Terra yesterday. All I could remember was my neck pulsing and then my teeth snapped shut a bare half-inch from her arm. I want the now darkening gem out of my neck, but Granny said quite a while ago that pulling it too hard could hurt me seriously. Something about it growing into one of the vertebrae in my neck.

Terra starts crying again whenever she looks at me. At first I thought she was afraid after I nearly snapped her hand off, but now I think she's afraid for me, instead. We have to get out of here somehow. I don't know how much more of this either of us can take.


	32. Dare To Hope

1 Year, 34 Days Remaining

I saved one of the papers from Granny. Burning something, I dipped my claw in it and wrote back as best I could, begging them to see if there was a safe way to get us out. The pain in my neck never stops and I can't seem to help tearing the meat they give me apart like a monster. I've been becoming more and more distant, and I can tell it hurts Terra. But there isn't much else I can do. I don't want to hurt her ever.


	33. To Little, To Late

1 Year, 27 Days Remaining

Granny replied. She said she's already trying, but the preparations to ensure everyone gets out safe could take another whole year! It must be really dangerous, but what else can Terra and I do? My paws seem a little darker now, and when I look into the buckets of water they give me, it feels like my eyes are glowing. I'm afraid. What's happening to me?

What will happen to Terra if and when they don't need her anymore?


	34. DuskSign

289 Days Remaining

It's getting harder and harder to think straight, but I am getting a better grip on not attacking anything. I guess if you're strong enough, you can get over anything. I've been curling up with Terra a lot lately. It helps me stay grounded. Gaul and the Dark Master don't seem pleased at my strength, and I've heard them talking about keeping her 'after', 'just in case'.

After what? I don't even want to think about it.


	35. Hang Tight

201 Days Remaining

I'm still managing to overpower whatever it is the dark gem has done to me, even though my paws are now more black than anything else. I know I must be unnerving to look at. Granny says to hang tight, but not for how long in case the notes get taken away.


	36. Breath Betrayal

165 Days Remaining

I used something new today, and it scared me stiff. An idiotic ape was poking at Terra through the bars with a spear when they thought I was asleep, and before I knew what was happening I had lanced forward and unleashed a ball of red something. Gaul later called it 'fear'. The ape's hair all stood straight on end and it raced away on all fours, howling like mad. I don't like this breath, it feels completely feral.

Terra held me for a long time after that, promising everything would be okay.

Why don't I believe her? I alway believe her...


	37. Fading

57 Days Remaining

I can't see purple anywhere on me anymore. And my gold looks dirty and dull, even when it shouldn't be. My wings have turned from light red to the color of blood. Granny's notes say it's almost time to go. Thank goodness. Even Terra looks like she's got some hope in her, for once.

I feel it too. For the first time in over a year. Maybe, just maybe, we'll get out of here. I feel like I'm buzzing with excitement to see everything I've been missing my whole life! I wonder if there's a lot of green outside? I've still never seen any, except maybe some mold on my rotting meat. Terra couldn't tell me then, so I don't know if that was green for sure.


	38. One Last Hope

7 Days Remaining

Granny says there's only a week to go and that they'll open a tunnel in the one invisible corner. I'm really nervous, but also incredibly excited. Terra's reaction has been nervous, which doesn't seem out of place to our captors. However, I have to be careful not to accidentally give us away. I've had to sit on my tail more than once to keep it from wagging. Not the most comfortable thing in the world. But I'll live. Especially if we get out of here!

I can't wait!


	39. Faded All Away

...

I ruined everything. It just took a split second.

They were at it with Terra, and I whited out. Next thing I knew, the ape had been earth-blasted clean across the room and I was covered in shadows. They dragged me out of the cell, and when I looked back Terra was gone. I don't know what happened to her! If Granny got her, I missed it by mere seconds. Or one of the apes could have hit her. For all I knew, I could have hit her with something.

They're dragging me towards that crystal, and my throbbing neck is making everything feel like it's fading. I can't see anything anymore, and it feels like


End file.
